[heart monitor beeping]
[intercom chimes]
- Paging Dr. Statmuth, Dr. Statmuth, please.
- * So the Bible says *
* And it still is news *
* Mama may have *
* And Papa may have *
* But God bless the child *
* That's got his own *
[gentle piano music]
* *
- We would have celebrated our 20th.
* *
You know, it's the, uh--it's the what-ifs that--
that always haunt me,
what if you were still here...
what would you have done?
I know you would have loved our son.
* *
[sighs]
* *
both: "Love is patient, love is kind,
"love is not easily angered,
"always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres."
* *
Love never fails."
Never fails.
* *
I'm failing our son.
[sniffles]
I'm failing our son.
* *
Oh, God.
God, you are love.
Please help me understand LJ.
Change me.
* *
Change me.
- Now for a check on your First Alert traffic
with Scott.
- Faith, tell your brothers and sister breakfast is ready.
- Moving pretty well down around Buick.
A mile delay [indistinct]
- Hey. Q went out to get coffee.
Lance just got back.
You--you need help in here?
- Got it.
- Can we, uh-- can we at least talk about
what happened last night?
- Right now, we need to be focused
on Lance and his family,
not you and your lack of transparency.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
- Hey. You okay?
Hanging in?
I mean, he was upset, but he's never done this before.
I mean, he's never been--I mean,
it's been two nights and no one's seen or heard from him.
- I've gotten some history from my partner.
Is "he" LJ's preferred pronoun?
- Pronouns?
I'm talking about my son, my child who's missing,
you want to talk about pronouns?
- Um, LJ's proper pronouns are they/them.
- Thank you.
Any birthmarks, scars, tattoos?
- No, no, no. He's not a tattoo kid.
- Um, actually, there is a tattoo on their left thigh.
It's a honeybee. - And close friends?
- None of his teammates have seen or heard of him.
- Any history of substance abuse or depression?
- No, no. Come on, you know that.
- I know.
But these questions come with the job.
- Okay, all right.
- Do you have any reason to believe
that LJ would hurt themself?
- Tony, what are you doing, man?
- Look, we understand these questions aren't easy to hear,
Mr. Sullivan. - Okay, I get it.
But my son is missing, man.
- But young people like LJ have a higher risk of self-harm.
It's an unfortunate reality we have to consider.
[downbeat music]
- Okay.
Okay. I'm sorry. - Guys.
I'm sorry.
I should have mentioned this sooner,
but I know a friend of LJ's who might know where they are.
* *
- Thanks for staying with Mia.
- I can't believe that about LJ.
- I know.
It's so scary, Mom.
I don't know what I would do.
- You just gotta keep breathing, hun.
- Tell Mia her daddy will make her French toast
in the morning. - Okay, I will.
- Okay, thank you. Love you.
- So if you hear anything, just let me know.
- Of course.
Hey, look, I know you got a police scanner, man.
Stay off of it. Don't make yourself crazy.
* *
- Talk to you guys when I know the plans.
See you in a minute.
Hey.
* *
- [sighs] Okay.
- Jordan, coming?
- Yep. I'm coming.
* *
- Hey, Harp. - Yeah.
- Quentin and Shelby are already out
papering the neighborhood. - Cool. You ready?
- Yep. - All right.
* *
[indistinct radio chatter]
- The Lance Sullivan at our house.
- [chuckles] - It's an honor, sir.
I know you gotta be excited that they're
retiring your number too, huh?
- Yeah.
- Um, I don't--I don't mean to be rude.
But we've got a lot of ground to cover here.
I'm just wondering, is Lex around?
- Oh, I'm sorry.
I told Lex you guys were coming.
Lex. Lex!
- Hi. - Hi.
- I'm Jordan.
And this is Lance, LJ's father.
- I know who you are.
- Great.
So I understand that you and my son are close.
- LJ and I are close. Yeah.
- So LJ and I, we had a-- a bit of a disagreement
a few days ago.
Now, I have not seen nor heard from him since.
I haven't seen nor heard from them since.
I'm concerned, his brothers and sisters,
they're--they're worried sick.
- I'm sorry, whose brother and sisters
are worried about them?
- Lex, don't be disrespectful.
- I was just trying to get some clarity with who "his" was.
- I think we're just wondering if you've heard from LJ.
- Nope.
[phone buzzes]
- If you would just excuse me, I'm gonna take this call.
- Now, Lex, if there's anything you know,
it's important that you tell us.
- Look, Lex, I just want my so--
I just want my child home.
- We don't keep secrets, right?
- Um...
LJ was tired of hiding.
We talked about it a lot, about moving to the city
or maybe LA, but I--I didn't think they'd leave without me.
But again, I--I don't have to hide at home.
Sounds like they did.
- [sighs]
Well, I-- - Lance!
- Excuse me.
- Lance?
[tense music]
- I just heard them say they found
a young Black man, six feet tall,
brown eyes, athletic build.
- What channel was that on?
- I was trying to turn up the volume,
and I flipped the channel. - No, hold on, hold on.
- I can't find it. - No, don't--hold on.
Don't break it, don't break it. - Okay, okay. Okay.
[static buzzing] Okay.
- Deceased Black male in Liberty State Park,
17 to 19.
Possible suicide.
[tires squealing]
- I told you not to--
- I don't give a damn what you told me!
Is it LJ?
- I don't know. - Well, who the hell knows?
- Give me a second to look into it.
I'll call you back. - Fuck that.
I'm coming down there. - Lance, do not do that.
Give me a second, okay?
* *
[phone rings]
- What is it?
- It's not him. - Oh, God!
[breathing deeply]
- I'll call you back.
* *
[phone rings]
- Hello. - Hey, Jordan.
- [clears throat] - [sighs]
Thank you.
- [sighs]
- You okay?
- I'm not pregnant.
And I'm relieved.
But I'm also kind of sad.
[soft dramatic music]
I've lived my life exactly the way that I planned it, right?
And--and--and I was ready to take this unexpected journey.
* *
It would have been nice to just be able to say this time that
this is what I have to do instead of what I planned
in my head or what I thought was right or try to be...
* *
Oh.
* *
I was ready not to be in control.
* *
And now it's not happening.
And I feel like-- I feel like this was
my last chance to be a mom. [sniffles]
Oh. - It's okay.
* *
You would have been one hell of a mother, Jordan.
My kids are so lucky to have had you in their lives.
- Yeah. I love them. [sniffles]
- Thank you for being what I was just incapable of being.
* *
- You know you're my guy.
- I love and appreciate you.
- Same. [sniffles]
[phone rings]
- Yeah?
- Lance, we got him.
* *
Thank you for calling.
- This is Pastor Calvin.
He's been like a mentor for LJ and me.
- Follow me.
* *
- LJ, you had everybody so scared, son.
- Dad, can you just sit and listen for a second?
Please.
* *
My entire life, you've been bringing me to church.
The first thing I learned in this book
is that God loves me.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Except the real me wasn't welcome.
So if I'm not welcome in God's house
or my own house,
where do I go?
* *
And then I met Lex,
and they introduced me to Pastor Calvin
and this community of love.
To be honest, Dad, they probably saved my life.
* *
They reminded me that God loves me
no matter how I dress
or what sport I play or who my friends are,
but because I'm me.
How is it that God can love me unconditionally,
Dad, but you can't?
* *
- I do love you, LJ.
* *
I am so sorry that I haven't been able to show it enough.
I've already lost your mother. I don't want to lose you too.
* *
You're my child.
You are Mia's child.
You're a child of God.
* *
I love you, LJ.
* *
[exhales]
* *
- Ah, yes, there you are.
- Look. - Look who's here.
- Oh, God.
[sighs] - Here we go.
- I am so sorry.
- It's all good. Head up.
- Look who's here, guys. Look who's here! Yay!
- Oh, yes! - Oh, I missed you.
- I mean... - Look, this calls for a drink.
Y'all want scotch?
- Come here. - Aunty Candace, I'm so sorry.
- Oh, LJ. - Yeah, man. It was a lot.
- It was so scary. - It must have been so much.
Just glad to be back.
- Appreciate your support, man. - Any time, man.
Any time. - I love you.
* *
[birds chirping]
- Daddy?
[gentle piano music]
* *
Daddy?
Daddy? Daddy?
* *
Daddy, where are you?
* *
Mommy?
* *
Mommy, where's Daddy?
- The settlement agreement is pretty straightforward.
Since Robyn petitioned, we'll just need
Harper to agree on the terms.
- Uh, yeah, sure.
Robyn can have whatever she and my daughter need.
I just want whatever is least disruptive
for Mia, 'cause she's starting first grade in a couple weeks.
- Of course.
Moving on to asset divisions.
With regards to the house, we're proposing an equal split
of proceeds from the sale.
- From the sale? Wait, hold up.
We're not selling it.
Robyn's gonna keep it so that Mia has
somewhere familiar to live.
I've already moved out, so...
- I don't want that house.
- Okay, where are you gonna live?
- Ghana.
- What?
- You can't just spring this on us like this.
- She just came up with this, but she really--
- Yeah, but-- - Are you for real?
- Look, I knew you were gonna react this way.
And I didn't want to debate you.
- So you decided to blindside me instead?
- Are you--are you trying to punish me?
- This isn't about you, Harper.
This is about me building a home in a place
that makes me happy, where I feel seen.
- Okay, fine. Be happy.
Have fun. Be seen.
But Mia is staying here.
- This will be good for Mia too.
- How?
- We had a wonderful time this summer.
- Oh.
- She--she'll get to grow up in a place where her complexion,
her hair texture aren't questioned,
where she's not othered or made to feel like
she has to be some magical Negro
in order to succeed in life.
- How--how are we supposed to co-parent
from two different countries?
- Look, I--I know that this isn't an easy idea
to accept right away, but we can make this work.
And I'll never keep you from Mia.
You can come anytime, stay as long as you want.
The door is always open.
- You know, the only--the only reason I agreed to give you
primary custody was because
I thought you were living five blocks away.
This changes everything.
I can't support this, Robyn.
I won't.
- Well, I hope you change your mind, 'cause either way,
we're moving to Ghana.
[soft dramatic music]
* *
- A little or a lot, captain? - A lot, please.
- It's 10:30 in the morning, guys.
- Yeah.
- And should you be drinking that?
- Look, I'm not gonna let my house guests drink alone.
- I mean, I was willing to go back to therapy,
sleep on the couch, all of that.
She wasn't hearing it.
And now Ghana!
- Maybe you should consider going with her.
- But my work is here, my life is here.
- Robyn and Mia are your life. You can write from anywhere.
- Now you sound like her. I'm not going to Africa.
And neither is my daughter.
- Yeah. Well, how you gonna stop her?
- I--I gotta advise you here, Harp, contesting a divorce,
it can get nasty.
I've seen it happen with other couples,
and it always ends up hurting the children the most.
Consider what's best for Mia.
- A daughter should be near her father.
Can't be on another continent.
- But a court battle will get nasty and expensive.
And worst of all, it will strip you and Robyn of any semblance
of a friendship.
You want that?
- Listen, Joe.
Do whatever you got to do to stay in your daughter's life.
You don't want to miss a minute of it,
'cause you can't get none of that time back, man.
* *
[cheers and applause]
- Appreciate y'all. Thank you.
[cheers and applause]
Thank you, New York!
I love you!
- Wow, what a moment, a well-deserved moment
for fan favorite--
- Live "From the Culture."
It's your girl Paris Holiday serving you up
the hottest looks every day.
And who do I have here?
- Jordan, who is this wannabe doing my segment?
- Oh, that's Paris.
That's the social media correspondent.
She's fine. She's just boosting the ratings.
Relax. - Wow.
She was so sweet when I met her.
She is taking this method acting shit way too far.
- Hey, Harp.
Yo, Murch, you seen Harp? The car's outside.
- He's still getting ready, I guess.
- Oh, well, shit, it's time for another drink.
Hey, y'all want one? [laughter]
- Can you believe him? He needs to stop drinking.
[knocking at door] - Oh, oh. [laughs]
- You get it. Oh, can you get that?
- Got it, got it, got it. [knocking at door]
UPS? You guys--
- Where is he?
Harper?
- What's going on?
- You filed for custody without talking to me?
- Are we gonna--are we gonna do this right here?
- Yes. I want to talk about it right now.
- Okay, then yeah.
I--I did what I thought I needed to do to keep
my daughter close to me.
- Robyn, what's going on?
- Tell them, Harper.
Tell all your friends who mean so much to you
how you've trapped me in a place I don't want to be
because you can't get your way for once.
- When am I supposed to see my daughter?
Once, twi--twice a year?
- I told you the door is open.
- Oh, that's bullshit! - Okay.
- That is bullshit!
You shut that door the moment that you filed for divorce.
And every little step you have taken since then
has been selfish as fuck!
- You wrote a book on selfish! - Okay.
- You have consistently put yourself first
in this marriage time and time again!
You--you force everyone in your orbit to--
to do and act like you see in your head.
I am not a character in your book, Harper!
I am not!
- Okay, guys. All right, this isn't gonna solve--
- Candace, I need you to mind your own business, please.
- What? - Oh, no, no, no, no.
- This is right here.
- You can't talk to her like that.
- I'm not talking to her!
I'm trying to talk to my wife!
- No, I'm done talking.
Just let me go.
- Then go!
But Mia is staying.
- Fuck you, Harper.
You are a piece of shit! - Fuck you!
You fake African Kunta Kinte. Go!
- Fuck you! - Leave!
- You fuckin' Uncle Tom Clarence Thomas.
- Leave! Go! Go! - Get that stick out your ass!
- Get out of my face! - Motherfucker.
Motherfucker.
[tense music]
- Told you this would happen, right?
I told you this would get ugly.
- It's been ugly, Murch.
I have run out of options.
- You always have plenty of options.
And you know what, Harp?
Real talk, every time you have the opportunity
to choose yourself over doing the right thing,
you always choose yourself!
And yeah, I said it!
And I meant it.
I'm gonna go check on Candace.
I guess I'll see you guys at the stadium.
- [sighs] Harper, I'm sorry,
but do you not see what you're doing to Robyn?
- Listen, you want me to see--
she's the one who filed for divorce.
She's the one who's moving to a different country.
- Okay, I get it.
But I'm saying she is her mother.
And as a mother, we always have the best
interest of our children.
Always.
- So then you lying to Kennedy
and keeping her away from Quentin for ten years,
was that in her best interest?
- Oh, shit.
- No, no, for ten years. - Wow. Really?
- Was that in her best interest?
- Okay. - So I apologize.
I disrespectfully disagree.
- That's some real talk.
- What the fuck did you just say?
- I said
keep my wife's name out your motherfuckin' mouth, nigga!
- You think this is a joke?
- Look, Harp is just doing what he got to do
to keep his family together.
You got to respect that.
- No, I don't have to respect shit.
You know, Harper, this is just you
just not getting your own way. Typical Harper.
- Can you just please stop? Stop.
You're not making it better. - Oh, I'm sorry.
So you should help the situation, help your "friend."
- Shelby, back the fuck up. - Jordan, please. I'm fine.
- No, I'm not gonna stop 'cause I'm sick of this shit.
- Me too. - It's okay.
She's defending her friend.
- I'm done with this bullshit. - Harper.
- Okay. Keep going, Jordan.
Bye. - Grow the fuck up, Shelby.
- So we still going or what?
- What?
- Are we going?
- No.
Dead man walking.
Have another drink, why don't you?
- As you wish.
[jazz music]
[laughs]
Happy wife, happy life. [laughs] Shit.
- * It's all about them fast car nights *
* And them big boat days *
* Living this champagne life, everything's okay *
* Let's toast it up *
- Lance, Lance, Lance, Lance! [overlapping chatter]
[upbeat music]
- Lance, when did you decide to retire?
- Hey, Lance, isn't this your son LJ?
Hell of a corner.
- Lance, Lance, is he gonna follow in your footsteps?
- Mr. Sullivan isn't taking questions at the moment.
- No, no. It's okay.
So of course, you guys all know my family.
Here is Faith, August, Hope is around here somewhere.
I can't really find her.
And of course, my firstborn, LJ.
They're non-binary.
So if by my footsteps, you mean is LJ
gonna be a person of God, loving to their family,
and the best person they know how to be,
then absolutely,
they'll definitely follow in my footsteps.
But if you're talking about football--[chuckles]
That decision is all theirs.
I can tell you that LJ is brave, sure of themselves,
and will definitely blaze their own path.
And whatever path that is, I support a million percent.
[light music]
* *
- [whispers] Love you. - Love you too.
Any more questions? What's that?
[overlapping chatter]
[upbeat music]
* *
- There he is, the man of the hour.
- Hey, Harp. - What's up, y'all?
Right. - So good to see you.
What's up, y'all?
Looking good. - Thank you.
- Looking good. - Thank you.
- How you doing, young man? - Hey, man.
I'm glad you could make it, man.
- Hey, come on, man.
You know I wouldn't miss your big day.
Um, I feel like it's my fault everybody else miss it though.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got all the congratulations
and apology texts from the whole crew.
- Word. - Yeah.
- I'm sorry, man.
I feel like I cannot let you have a momentous occasion
without bringing some drama.
- "Some drama"? [laughs]
Just a little bit?
- Oh, boy.
- You okay, man?
- Uh...
I don't think so, man.
I--I just--nobody--
- You know what? Don't even have to talk.
Come sit at my table.
You know, you see the spread they rolled out for your boy,
right? - Yes. Yes, I do.
- Come sit at the table, dawg.
- Um, thank you.
I'ma let you do your thing.
I'ma--
[clears throat] I'ma get out of here,
but I just wanted to show my face
and, you know, let you take your well-deserved
victory lap and, you know, leave you be to your family.
Man, you got a--you got a really beautiful family.
- Thank you, bro. - Yes, sir.
- All right. - Good night.
[gentle piano music]
* *
- All right. [claps]
Okay, you guys can get some dessert.
And get me some cheesecake.
* *
- Who's that, Dad?
- It's Jasmine.
- Well, she's really pretty.
- Mm-hmm. I agree.
* *
Well, don't just stare at her, Dad.
Go talk to her. - Okay. All right, look,
I don't need some coaching from y'all, all right?
- [chuckles] - I got this.
- [laughs]
- Okay.
- Okay, so you come into my city on my day
and can't even warn a brother?
- Well, I live here now.
I took a management job with Hilton.
We're sponsoring this reception.
- Wow. Congratulations.
Welcome to the big city. - Thank you.
It's been a great transition.
The people here are really nice.
The weather, not so nice. [laughter]
- Yeah. Tell me about it. I'm well aware.
* *
Wow.
It's really good seeing you again.
* *
- It's nice seeing you too. [chuckles]
* *
Ah, those the children?
- [laughs] Yes. Yes, those are the kids.
- Beautiful.
A perfect blend.
- Would you like to meet 'em?
- If that would be all right.
- It will be all right.
- Okay.
Oh, my gosh.
[indistinct chatter]
- [panting] [notification chimes]
- Oh, this dude.
Good morning, Kennedy Headphones.
- What's up? - "What's up?"
The proper response, baby, is good morning.
- Okay, good morning.
Jesus.
- Damn it. I pay all the goddamn bills around here.
I don't know what I gotta do to get
some damn respect in my house?
Nobody gives me--
[groans]
- Dad? Dad?
- Oh, shit. - Dad, what's wrong?
- Do you need me to call 911?
- Yes, yes, call--call, but don't leave me,
don't leave me, please, just use my phone, baby.
- Okay, okay. - Use my phone.
- I got you, Dad. - [groaning] Shit!
Did you just call me Dad?
- Yeah.
Hello?
[all cheering and shouting]
* *
- Home, please.
[engine turns over]
* *
- What do you say we read some of these books over FaceTime
with each other later on?
- "Archer and the Zodiacs"!
- [laughing] Oh, baby. We always read that one.
- I know, but it makes me happy.
- You know, you are the reason
why Daddy wrote that book, right?
- You told me.
You should write more books like that, Daddy.
- For real? Tell me why.
- Because all the books you read in school
and at museums are about marching
and boycotts and people being mean to us.
Anyway. - Yeah. Well, you know what?
I guess it's time to get you some different books, huh?
- Guess so. - Try to dig in.
All right. One of these has cheese.
- I'll be back.
- Where you going? Mia?
Wait, wait, wait. Mia.
- Here you go if you're hungry.
[gentle music]
* *
You okay? - I'm fine.
- That was sweet.
Aren't you hungry though?
- Yeah. But I know I'll eat again.
We have more. We can give more.
Right, Daddy?
* *
- Right, baby.
Okay.
Want to split mine? - Okay.
- All righty.
* *
[fire alarm beeping]
[door opens]
- [sighs]
[quirky dramatic music]
- Said 45 minutes, I put the shit in there 45 minutes.
- What the hell?
- You weren't supposed to be home already.
Shit! - [coughing]
Quentin, what is going on?
- Uh, um...
that is the baked cauliflower.
That's the first time I tried to do it.
I followed the recipe perfectly.
I put it in for 45 minutes, and it came out burnt,
so I'm like, "Okay, I'll get another one."
Then I said well maybe I'll make...
- Okay. You're gonna burn yourself.
- Cheese with a Z. Shit.
- And it got burnt.
I was trying to do something nice for you, baby.
Um, can we--can we just sit down and talk for a minute?
Look, I owe you an apology.
* *
- Fine.
I used to be able to do everything right.
Now I just do it all wrong.
- Are you feeling okay?
- Yeah, now I am.
Earlier though, I was working out and I pinched a nerve,
and I felt the tingle, and I thought that I was having
another heart attack, and I felt so damn embarrassed
when the EMT showed up.
[gentle piano music]
- Well, baby, I told you,
you just need to stretch and hydrate.
Your bones aren't what they used to be.
- Yeah. I know.
And Pop always say, "Don't get old."
But it's either that or die.
[sighs]
And I don't want to die.
I want to make better choices, you know?
Not just for me for us and for our little wayward child
that we made.
You know, she called me Dad
when she thought I was dying, but...
* *
Made me cry, you know, like a little girl.
So maybe I didn't really know who I am anymore.
[sighs]
* *
- Maybe you're your best self.
I like it.
- Well, I want you to know I love you.
Shelby, I--look at me.
Shit. I love you.
And I'm--and I'm--I know you've been trying really hard,
trying to be considerate and help me and I made
it difficult and I'm so sorry.
But I really love you.
- [sniffles]
* *
It has been difficult.
I just want what's best for you,
because I love you.
You're the only man that I've ever loved.
I care about you so much that it scares me.
You are my life, Quentin Spivey.
- Well, I'm gonna be here.
From now on, it's you and me.
For us, I want to be here,
for our little girl.
- Okay. Me too.
And I'm gonna stop trying to reverse the clock.
Fuck it. [laughter]
A bitch is getting old. [laughter]
Maybe I'll just, I don't know, go natural
and stop shaving under my arms.
- Don't--don't--don't do that. [laughter]
[smooching] - I love you so much.
* *
- Mommy! - Hey!
You had a good time? - Yeah.
- Yeah? Good.
Why don't you get cleaned up for dinner?
- Okay.
- Hey. - Hey.
So, uh, I'm withdrawing the custody claim.
[gentle music]
She's--she's got your spirit, Robyn.
And I don't want to damage that. [clears throat]
And I just don't want to fight,
so we'll figure this thing out however we need to.
* *
You have my blessing.
- Thank you.
* *
- Wanna give me some sugar?
All right.
[grunts] That was a good one.
I love you.
- Love you too, Daddy.
- All right.
All right, be good.
- Bye! - Bye-bye.
[Gladys Knight's "Neither One Of Us"]
* *
- * It's sad to think *
* We're not gonna make it *
* *
* And it's gotten to the point *
* Where we just can't fake it *
* *
- Be a good girl, all righty?
Look, you can FaceTime me whenever you want to talk.
Day or night, okay?
I love you.
- Daddy, can't you come with us?
- Honey. We talked about this, all right?
Daddy's got to stay here,
and I'm gonna visit you real, real soon, okay?
* *
[sighs]
You're gonna have the most amazing adventures,
and I want to hear about all of them, okay?
Oh, sweetie.
- Daddy, please.
- Oh, bud. - Please come with us.
- Oh, I'm gonna come visit you, I promise, real soon, okay?
All righty? You believe me, right?
Okay?
I got to--okay, I got to go talk to Mommy.
All right. Arms and legs.
- * Every time I find the nerve *
* To say I'm leaving *
* *
- Robyn, please, just don't go.
Okay? Please, I'll do anything.
I'll move. Okay? But I can't--
I can't leave her like that.
Okay? I'll change, I promise.
- Harper, stop.
Please.
You're never gonna change.
And I can't be your version of me anymore.
- I'll be whatever version you want.
But just please don't go.
Okay? Do you hear that?
- I know. It hurts me too.
But I have to do this. I have to go.
- Robyn, please. Robyn.
Please. Robyn.
* *
- * There can be no way *
* There can be no way *
- * Be no way *
- * This can have a happy ending *
- * Happy ending *
- * No, no *
* So we just go on *
- * We go on *
- * Hurting and pretending *
* *
* And convincing ourselves *
* *
* To give it just one more try *
- * One more try *
- * Because neither one of us *
- * Neither one of us *
- * Wants to be the first to say *
* Neither one of us *
- * Neither one of us *
- * Wants to be the first to say *
* Neither one of us *
- * Neither one of us *
- * Wants to be the first to say *
* Farewell my love *
* Goodbye *
- * Goodbye *
[doorbell rings]
[indistinct chatter on TV]
- Oh, he goes down hard.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
- [groans softly]
[doorbell rings]
- Hey.
- [groans]
- Hey.
Hey, Harp.
- What up, Joe ?
[Earth, Wind & Fire's "Keep Your Head to the Sky]
* *
- Harp...
we need a fourth.
- * Master told me one day *
* I'd find peace in every way *
* But in search for the clue *
* Wrong things I was bound to do *
* Keep my head to the sky *
- Well, we about to run a Boston on y'all niggas.
[laughter]
* *
- I did not expect that.
- Hey, you know? Let's get him, Murch.
Let's get him. - Let's get him.
[overlapping chatter]
- * And he said *
* Keep your head to the sky *
- * To the sky *
- Incoming.
My sources say that Fox is plotting
some stealth alt programming for Black men pundits
chopping the headlines.
They're literally calling it "Counter Culture."
And they plan on airing it opposite "From the Culture."
How do you want to handle it?
- Latest market research shows that we need
to do a refresh on our morning shows,
rebrand to be more appealing to millennials and Gen Z.
The projected spend puts us over our fiscal year budget
by 26%.
What do you think?
- We're at an impasse in contract negotiations
with union reps.
And they are threatening potential work stoppages
as well as a strike if their demands aren't met.
So we need further direction from you on strategy.
And we could use your presence in the next round.
[overlapping chatter]
[notifications chiming]
[overlapping chatter]
[soft dramatic music]
[phones ringing and overlapping chatter]
[bassy thrumming and glass shattering]
- Override on the budget so that HR can get into this.
- What do you think, Jordan?
- I think I need to go.
[Beyoncé "Break My Soul"]
* *
- * La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la *
* La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la *
* You won't break my soul *
* Na, na *
* You won't break my soul, no-no, na, na *
* You won't break my soul *
* Na, na *
* Now, I just fell in love *
* I just quit my job *
* I'm gonna find new drive *
* Damn, they work me so damn hard *
* Work by nine *
* Then off past five *
* And they work my nerves *
* That's why I cannot sleep at night *
* You won't break my soul, no-no, na, na *
* You won't break my soul *
* No-no, na, na *
* You won't break my soul, na, na *
* You won't break my soul *
* I'm tellin' everybody everybody *
* Everybody *
* *
- I can't believe that you actually quit.
- I didn't quit. I just pivoted.
And I can't believe that I actually
got you out of the house. - Well, thank you.
- I'm still producing "From the Culture."
The only difference is now I'm consulting
with some start-up companies and working on some
of my passion projects. - Hmm.
- So life is good.
- [chuckles] Okay.
Well, you look happy.
- Do I? - You do.
You look good. - I feel good.
I feel good. I feel--
I feel like it's nice to put myself on the list,
you know?
- Mm-hmm. - How you holding up?
- Uh, some days are better than others.
- Yeah.
- But for the most part, I'm good.
Selling the house.
Taking a bath with this buyer's market.
- Mm, smart.
- Doesn't make sense to keep the spot.
It's--it's too big for just me, so...yeah.
- Where next?
- Um, I was thinking about maybe Brooklyn.
Your place is pretty fly.
- Brooklyn?
- Yeah.
- BK is not what it used to be.
You know, it's very pricey.
- I don't know. Could be worth it.
[gentle piano music]
* *
- You know, you are still very cute, Harper Stewart.
But I can't be your soft place to land.
You're not gonna get over this for a very long time.
And I can't wait for you to work through it.
You need time.
And not with me or any other woman.
- I'll always need you, Jordan.
- And I'm always gonna be here for you as your friend.
But look, if--if fate brings us back together
and it's meant to be, then--
- If you don't get interrupted by emergency phone
calls and skipping CDs.
- Exactly, that part.
- Look, I don't know if I like this
self-care Jordan all that much, but, um,
I'll support the dream.
- Thank you.
* *
You just need to go out there and be that artist you want
to be and lean into your feelings
no matter how difficult or painful it may be.
To go out there and write your ass off.
* *
- Mmm.
- And I love you. - Well, I love you.
[applause]
- Harper, you have been in this literary game
for quite some time.
But "Pieces of Us," a Reconstruction Era love story,
didn't quite see that one coming.
- [chuckles]
- This marks a new direction for you.
- Mm-hmm.
- Can we expect more surprises from you?
- Uh, I certainly want to continue to keep reaching.
Um, I think I owe it to people
to--to push myself further.
That's what I set out to do.
And of course, as long as I have good friends
that continue to support me, challenge me,
and still love me,
I keep striving.
- Well said.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Pulitzer Prize winner, Harper Stewart.
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up.
[cheers and applause]
* *
- Congratulations on your award.
So well-deserved.
I'm proud of you, Harper.
- Thank you. Thank you, Robyn.
I--I appreciate it. Now where's my baby girl?
I wanna say hi.
- She is at a playdate,
but I'm gonna have her call you back right away.
- Okay, that sounds good.
Um, so listen, Robyn, I--I just want
to thank you for being you. - Aw.
- I'm really lucky to have you in my life.
- Tell everybody I said hello.
- Will do.
- Oh, by the way,
I think you have a special guest coming by.
- Say what? - Daddy!
- What's up, little mama? How are you?
How did this-- where's your mama?
- Grandma brought me back with her.
- Aw, look at the family coming through.
Look at that. - Thank you so much.
I really appreciate it.
Oh, my goodness,
do you know how happy I am to see you right now?
[Alicia Myers' "I Want to Thank You"]
- Oh, my gosh, let me see it. [gasps]
- Oh, my goodness!
Quentin, I need an upgrade. - Quentin.
- Sorry, Q.
* *
- * I wanna thank You, Heavenly Father *
* For shining Your light on me *
* You sent me someone who really loves me *
- Shit. - Do it.
- Shit. - I want to do it.
- Baby, shit. - I want to do it.
I want to do it.
[laughter]
- I think you got some makeup on your shoulder.
- Oh, you did? Okay, well.
[laughter] - Cut.
* *
- Is this vegan?
I think you made my big toe stand up.
[laughter]
* *
- Is that Lance?
* *
[laughter]
* *
- [laughs]
- Terrence, she's magical.
- His name is Quentin. [laughter]
- [mutters indistinctly]
What is it? [laughter]
- [mutters indistinctly]
- [laughs] Good night, Darius.
I mean Demetrius. - [laughs]
- Fuck.
- She said she didn't want to be a badger?
As in like the animal or--
[laughter] - Stupid. You're so dumb.
- You are stupid.
- [laughs] Stop.
[laughter]
* *
- * I know it could not happen without You *
* Ooh, ooh *
* Without you *
- Ay, ay!
- You better come get your wife.
[laughter]
- [mutters indistinctly]
Sorry. [laughter]
- It was so good!
- * Ahh-ahh-ahh *
- Action. [baby screams]
- I mean, the baby screaming?
[laughs]
- * His light your way *
* Thank You, Father *
* For shining Your light on me *
- Taye, could you stop fucking walking?
I'm acting over here. Stand still.
- The fuck are you doing, man? Terrible choice.
Where did you get that shit from?
- All right. - Should I show breast?
- No. Not--this is not that kind of show, okay?
- Think you're making a mistake on that one.
[laughter]
I love you too.
[laughs] I'm sorry.
- Hey, hey.
Sorry to int--
[laughter]
- What? They help me relax.
- Relax.
They're looking like they're building a factory.
[laughter]
- Okay, and?
- Well, the cab clearly stopped for us and then--
[laughs]
- Oh, I'm so sorry. I can go.
- So I'm gonna withdraw the--
the custody clause.
- Claim. - Claim.
- Reset. - [laughs]
- Step aside and it's yours.
- It's--it's--it's--what is it? [laughter]
Drama, some drama.
- "Some drama."
- Repeat the whole line again.
- Fuck you, Malcolm. [laughter]
- * I know it could not happen without You *
* Ooh, ooh, without You, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh *
- Oh, what happened to your-- all: Oh!
* *
- I don't like how this going down at all.
[laughter] I think she blindsided you.
- Cut! [laughter]